THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL-MAY 2025 17 You will bear the brunt of the criticism, but the greater tragedy is the damage to America’s global standing. The Fraying of Alliances and the Rise of Global Disorder But your problems go beyond the destruction of USAID. For generations, American leadership has been a force for stability. We built NATO, we upheld the rules-based order, we led the fight against climate change, and we stood as a beacon for democracy. That legacy is slipping away, and you face intractable crises on several fronts. • Ukraine: Russia is the aggressor, yet the president appears aligned with Kremlin talking points. Our wavering support is emboldening Putin and eroding NATO’s trust in us. • Climate Change: Abandoning the Paris Agreement is not a policy shift— it is a retreat from reality. The climate crisis does not recognize political ideologies, and our abdication of leadership will cost us dearly. • Diplomatic Absurdities: The world does not take seriously the notion of annexing Canada, Greenland, or the Panama Canal, or turning Gaza into a beachfront resort. But they do wonder whether the United States has lost its sense of strategic direction. These missteps push allies away and embolden adversaries. At this moment, China and Russia are not just watching—they are moving into the void we are leaving behind. • The Migration Crisis: The majority of migrants crossing our southern border are not Mexican, and Mexico does not want them either. We have a shared interest in solving this crisis, yet threats and tariffs have replaced diplomacy and cooperation. We have the chance to work alongside Mexico to build real solutions, but we squander it with bravado and short-sighted ultimatums. The Soul of State Beyond policy, beyond global strategy, there is a fundamental truth that cannot be ignored: The State Department is at war with itself. Morale is at an all-time low. Hostility, exclusion, and fear have replaced unity and purpose. This institution, home to the best and brightest in American diplomacy, as you yourself noted on your first day at the department, is fracturing under the weight of internal strife. You must lead. The culture wars have no place in Foggy Bottom. Competency, commitment, and intelligence must remain the measures by which we value those who serve. Every diplomat, every civil servant, must know they are included and valued—not for their race, gender, or political ideology, but for their contributions to our great nation and to the mission of American diplomacy. The Call to Leadership Mr. Secretary, you are at the helm of this great institution at a time of unprecedented challenge. Your legacy will not be written by how well you implement directives from above but by whether you had the courage to stand up when history demanded. As Kissinger might say today, it is time to get the department where it has not been. It is time to right these wrongs—not for political gain, and not for personal legacy, but for the American people and the ideals we have long championed. The world still looks to us for leadership. We must show them that America is still worthy of that role. The weight of history is upon you. Your moment is now. n
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